Marg ls revised. 1819 Mar. 27 + §.6

To Erskine

ult o

Lett. 6. E. AntiReformist

6. 4. Spontaneity rely on

{5}

34

1

§ 6. Expedient 4. Prescribing reliance the free spontaneous act of Honourable House

{From eloquence such as Your Lordship’s on a subject such as the present, nothing ought to appear extraordinary.} In the midst of those confessions that have been noticed, in the very next sentence (p. 29) to the most explicit of things perpetually interwoven with the whole thread of them – {in the midst of all this it is that} /do/ we see two /three/ other intimations given: 1 one that, spite of all those imperfetions and corruptions {producing} /productive of/, and {produced} /as above confessed, produced/ by this same corrupt influence Parliament either is[?] actually entertains, or at least may reasonably be expected to entertain {at any time} a disposition to amend itself: 2 that in virtue of this same […?] disposition {it is a fit object of the most unqualified and universal affliction and respect: 3} /this same corruptly influenced body “changed or unchanged as to the general form of election should {says Your Lordship p. 32.} have the habitual confidence of all ranks and classes throughout the kingdom”/ and 3. all /that at the same time all persons/ who, not being in Parliament, seek to encrease, or if necessary to produce a disposition of that sort on the part of Parliament, are replete with such undescribable wickedness, that even Your Lordships eloquence sinks under the attempt to find description for it.

In pursuance of the persuasion professed to be entertained of the existence of this generous and self-denying disposition – of the actual or probable or at any rate the potential, existence of it – {for I am surely[?] afraid of not being warranted in attributing any such design as that of say something to a passage which has so much the appearance of having for its object the saying nothing} – in pursuance at any rate of this profession, one condition I must not omitt to confess my having observed annext to the ripening of this disposition into act, in such sort that to the good people of this country it shall not be altogether without fruit. This is that the act into which the disposition shall have ripened shall have been, (to use Your Lordships words p. 29.) “the free spontaneous act of the House of commons, or” (an act performed) “through respectful petitions of the people”: through, meaning I presume in consequence of: for to my eyes the […?]ness of this portion of Your Lordships rhetoric does not shew quite so clear as to secure me against all apprehensions of doing unintentional injustice to it.